Sixth District GOP to select nominee with convention, not primary

The Sixth Congressional District Republican Committee will determine the party's nominee to replace the retiring Bob Goodlatte in Congress by convention, the group determined at a meeting Saturday. That means there will be no primary election in June for district voters to directly select the party's nominee.

The decision to use a convention was reached unanimously by the committee members, chairman Scott Sayre said.

The committee also decided that the nominee will be determined by a plurality after a single vote for the candidates — a majority will not be required to win. That decision was not unanimous said Hannah Moxley, vice chair of communications for the Augusta County Republican Committee, who voted on the decision at the meeting Saturday — it got about two-thirds of the committee's support.

This is the most ethical way of choosing the nominee, Moxley said, because it sets a "fair playing field" for all the candidates, she thinks. Whoever is able to garner the most support on the ground and then get delegates to show up and vote for them at the convention will secure the nomination after those ballots are counted without having to hold multiple votes until a majority is reached, she said.

"It eliminates a lot of the games people like to play," she said. “The goal was really transparency and fairness."

There are currently six Republican candidates seeking the nomination, three of whom announced their campaigns at an event in Natural Bridge last week. Some showed support for the committee decision to varying degrees, but others questioned aspects of it.

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, talks to Del. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, and others while attending a barbecue and politics event sponsored by the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce at Augusta Expo in August 2017.

Kathryn Lewis, of Bedford County, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., ...more

Kathryn Lewis, of Bedford County, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2017. She's running for the Republican nomination in Virginia's 6th Congressional District race in 2018.

Gabe Cavallaro/The News Leader

"They are attempting to rig the convention to help their chosen candidate because they do not believe their candidate of choice is strong enough to win a majority of delegates under the standard convention rules," he said. "By changing the rules, there is a strong possibility that a vast majority of the convention attendees will have only voted for someone other than our nominee – something that defeats the purpose of having a convention."

Kathryn Lewis, one of the newly announced candidates, from Bedford County, also objected to the decision to determine the nominee at the convention with just a plurality of the vote.

"I want what is best for the people of the Sixth District and what gives every candidate a fair and honest chance to win, not a chosen one by the committee," she said. "The people, including myself, are sick and tired of back door politics and it would appear this is what is happening again in this situation and it has got to stop. The people of this district deserve better and to know the truth."

Ed Justo, of Harrisonburg, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on ...more

Ed Justo, of Harrisonburg, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2017. He's running for the Republican nomination in Virginia's 6th Congressional District race in 2018.

Gabe Cavallaro/The News Leader

Ed Justo, another of the newly announced candidates, from Harrisonburg, said the decision has left him "bittersweet."

"In one side it helps candidates like me, that don't have $100,000 to advertise like those candidates owned by big interests," he said. "On the other, I fear that (the) chairman will not allow delegates that support a candidate that is not of their liking be a delegate. Accommodating his interests as an unanimous decision by just allowing as delegates those that agree with him."

Candidate Chaz Haywood, the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Clerk of Court, said he was "surprised" a plurality was chosen to determine the nominee, but that a convention as the method of nomination "is a great opportunity for people from all over the district to come out and let their voices be heard about whom they'd prefer for their next congressman."

Cynthia Dunbar, of Forest, speaks with reporters at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on ...more

Cynthia Dunbar, of Forest, speaks with reporters at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2017. She's running for the Republican nomination in Virginia's 6th Congressional District race in 2018.

Gabe Cavallaro/The News Leader

Cynthia Dunbar, of Forest, also said she was pleased with the choice to go with a convention for the nomination, noting how it will not cost any taxpayer money to hold, in that it's paid for by the Republican party, unlike a primary election.

Chan Park, the third newly announced candidate, from Henry County, said he's "satisfied" with the committee's nomination method decision as its members "are more knowledgeable about these matters than" he is.

This will be the first time they've had a convention for the district's congressional nominee since Goodlatte took office over twenty years ago, Moxley said.

The convention is set for Saturday, May 19, at 10 a.m. at the James Madison University Convocation Center in Harrisonburg.

To become a delegate and participate in the convention, you'll need to contact your local Republican Party committee about registration, Moxley said. You can contact the Augusta Republicans here, Staunton here and Waynesboro here.

Chan Park, of Henry County, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on ...more

Chan Park, of Henry County, poses for a photo at a 6th District event in Natural Bridge, Va., on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2017. He's running for the Republican nomination in Virginia's 6th Congressional District race in 2018.